Steam separator



Aug- 10, 1943. P. B. PLACE STEAM SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 29, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY;

Aug. 10, 1943. F.4 B. PLACE l 2,326491y STEAM sEPARAToR Filed Sept). 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet-2 i t INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYSI Aug. l0,- 1943. P. B. PLACE '2,326,491

Y STEAM SEPARATOR Filed sept. 29, 1941 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR.

BVMW/Mm A TTORNEYJ Patented ugLlO, 1943 c z'STE'AMSEPARAIOR- I t lllalmfe'i'llllace, N. .I .gassgnor lto'Conil bustion Engineering Company, Ind, -New. York,'

N. Y., a corporation of D'elaware. l

Appueation september 23, 194i, serial No. '412,757l

'This invention relates to the'art 'water from steam in a steam and water drum.:

One of the primary objects of the invention is Y "to make it possible -to 'allow the concentration of dissolved 'salts and other. impurities inthe water of the'boiler Yto very substantially increase over what isnow standard practice, without encouni tering diiculties. Stated inl another'way, -it is an object of the invention toV make it possible to operate the boiler forlonger periods of time before it becomesA necessary toffblow down.

Carry-over ofioam'is an important factor in-.

this connection, and by my invention such .carryf over of foam issubstantially eliminated. "Si f I-Iovv the foregoing; V together"witl'i such yother objects and advantages a's may be incident to the invention 'are' realized, is illustrated int'he acl companying drawings, wherein: 'Y

Figure l is across section through ajboiler drum', illustratingin more or less diagrammatic form my improved 'means lfor accomplishing thef objects of my invention?.

the line'2-2'of Figure 1";Y

FigureBjis a's'ectiontaken on'the line 3-'3'off Figure if f.

Figure 2 is anenlargedc'r'oss sectiontaken on Toward 'the right-hand side ofthe drum *is Aa substantiallyupright partition or baiilet-I, the

-lowerportionfof -which dependsbelow the nor-I er 'porel mal'water level ofthe drum andthe up tion of which rises thereabo've Spaced-apart from thepartitionl,

substantially upright and dependsbelow and rises somewhat above' the normal .water levelv of thedrunn' Thefupper portion of the balelin-- clines upwardly toward baffle Ik to a point lying. Y substantially inthe' plane of thev upperendfof` baflie I: The `upper end of baiile 2, however, ter--l minates at a point wel1 removedfrom' the upper`V end of partition I.y 1" f a y .f A-tl'lirdA partitionv 3 dependsirornl the upper wall of the drum, from a point intermediate'the'Vv tubes 8 and the uppermost row of tubes Ill; 'This' partitionl extends downwardlyv andi terminates at a point spaced substantially above/the upper end of'partition 2.

lewin be understood that"partiu'fmsV I, 2- and 3 rextend longitudinally of -thedrumjand join with upright end plates 5, as shown Figures 1 and 3: In Figure '3 but one such end plateY isI` l shwn, but vit' will beund'erstood that there is a Figures 4, 5` and 6 are cross section corresponfd'l-fI ing to that of Figure 1` but illustrating various' i rality of `downtake tubes 9. In 4this instance;

only one such row of tubes is shown, but itis to' be understood thatth number of Arows will de"- pend upon the particular'installation.

steam and water: into the drum,"aboi`/e` the normelf-water level thereof; n*Such tubes usuallyde l liver a relativelyhigh velocityfrnixture into the. drum, asthey lead from high steaming portions of the boiler such as boiler tubes and water' walls subject to radiant heat. In this-instance v'four rows ofxsuch tubes I0 are shown. Another" row III of such tubesv is shown delivering below the` normal water level of the drum.

-It is also to be understood that there'may a pluralityV of other'vtubes, likewise-delivering into the drum below the normal water level thereof. 4These usually Vdeliverifrom `less highly steaming portions of theboilen' 'P .Y Y s v. A number of-tubes II! deliver a mixtureoi similar end plate at the opposite end ofthe drum.l

' Associated with and supported by the, partitions I 2 and S-andithe end plates 5, are a plu-f rality of hoods 6,"best shown in Figures Ziand 3.

These'hoods are Yopen atl their bottoms 'and .aty

the left-hand ends thereof (looking at Figures 1 and '2), but closed at their right-hand*ends'.V The hoods are-of course closed 'atthe' top. Y

Thel hoods are'spaced' apart so as to provide channels I I therebetween, best shown in Figures 2v and 3. These channels are closed Yat their ends and are4 open'at their tops and bottoms. The

group of hoodsA extendslongitudinally oi the drum."

`The partitions I, 2 and 3, the vend plates ,5,7 and the hoods cooperate with one anotherand with the water the drum, to divide the interior Y of the drum, above the normal water level there-' of, into three spaces, B, C; and D, which are noncommunicating except as follows.V The channels I I afford the sole communication between spacesv B andC; 'and the hoods aiiord the sole Communication between spaces-C and D; i

'Ihe steam and water mixture of the tubes delivers into the space B. (In this instance, partitionl vI also segregates the deliveryof the tubes I0 Awhich. ultimately joins with the deliverypt isla' partir-I A tion or bafe. 2, the lower' portion of Whichis' The .operation is as followsg'All of the'steam and water mixture entering space B lflows from; `such space downwardly into theseparation space Y C, through the channels I l, in the form of sheets or rectangular jets. These jlets, on leaving the lowerends of the channels, fan or spread or. bush laterally so as to merge with one another into a single sheet, preferably somewhat above the .normal ,water vlevel .of the .as indicated in Figline They hlso'spread or Yfan or hush somewhat, in a direction longitudinally of the sheets. The combined area of ythe channels with .ment for drums. In this instance thedrurnhas relation to the combined area of the tubes whose' A delivery enters the space B, isvsuc'h that `the lets or sheetsv dischargingV downwardly through .thej

@l5 and water mixture thus downwardly delivered". into the separation space C impactson thewater channels, have substantial velocity. 'The steam in the drum.A Some of thesteam in the vmixture may turnV before impact upon the Water.; .but the Y water of the mixture, being heavier, continues in itsrdownwardmovement .and joins the water in the drum. Desirably'the `channels `should have a cross-sectional-area smaller. than that of the hoods so that :the iets have higher velocity than the steam leaving spaces() via. the hoods. As illustrative, the hoods Vmay he 2" in 'Width' and the .channels -1 to .l1/2'.

The xonly egress of steam from space `C to space AD. being the hoods Al6, it will the yseen that .the

steam entering ,space C must. leave by moving npwardlyto .the hoods. f

VIn consequence of thefforegoing.. there fis .1a separation v.olf waterifromthe Steam, the great bulk :of the water -intheim'ixture'dellveredto the spaceC being therein separated freni-the steam. lio appreciable .amount of foam .leaves .the space.

Foam .entering .into space vl5 with the steam and water mixture, is` apparently broken upfinspace C `and joins the waterfmfthe drimhhy virtue of the faction of the sheets or iets delivered through the channels Il. Any foam 'which lies .on the water in that portion of the .space -C whichis :to

Aftliree rows of outlet tubes 8'; four rows Yof downtubes 9'; seven rows of relatively high velocity tubes 10K', of which four rows deliver belowthe'nomial wat-er leveltwo rows above the normalfwater level', and one row at about the normal water level; and three rows of relatively iowmeloriitywtuhes' rl''f", which deliver below the normal water level.

The partition l' in this instance rises from the lower Aportion of. fthe -drzum iwal-l at a point intermediate the Y:tubes MJT. and SIB", and extends upwardly to a point vwell labove lthe normal water level .of the drum.` Partition 1'." --extends :down- Wardl-y from the; ripper'v portion ofthe drum Awall to the right of .-tubeslf-l, and rearwardly, the lowerend thereof lying :substantially the plane of the upper end .of partition l :and well spaced therefrom. Partition I" '-depends downwardly from the upper portion of the 4drum wall, at ya point to the lef-t of tubes 8', the flower enddof such partitionterminating well above the lower way through .the hoods into space D, despite the triangular spaces between lthe .iets .as they. leave:

the channels. This tothe following The foam is heavierthan steam and isnot selfesup-y porting. Hence it lies ina bodyon-the water, as

Vbefore mentioned. As is Well known, the bubbles "of foam adhere strongly to one another. For any appreciable amount V.oi foam to leave through the triangular spaces.' the 'body of foam. would have to build up in height, This is prevented by the undercutting action-of the iets and the steamA thereof, which continually brealnsy up-and-de stroys foam.V Thel steam in yspace C to lthe left o f Vthe jets in all Aprobability has a strong eddy' flow induced by the action of the'iets., and is in all probability entrained bythe iets and is there@ by largely freed of water, before ultimate escape through the hoods. There may be other reasons, but the fact is that the `apparatus very eiectively-,separateswater wlthits impurities from thesteam and prevents vany( substantial vcarry over of foam, which is important. Y

For some installations no further-separation of water fromsteam isrequired. For other. in stallations it is desirable.- :to provide a .fourth longitudinally extending partition or -baie I, extending downwardly Horn the upper .portion -of the drum wall, .to a point sped from'partition 2 s as. to provide athroatvportion Dflea-ding into the space D proper.4 Thispartition rthus causes the steam entering from the hoods totalit'` a-Atortuous path to -the steam outlet meansnv,

endof partition 27.. befgspaced hoods and channelscooperate with partit-ions i, 2 and I3 `and theend plates to divide 4theinterior rof the Adrum above the g waterY level intoethree spaces B, Gland. 4ll'which` arenonfcemmunicating save as before described. Y

1 How the improvements are adapted to 4still other tube arrangements is `shovmfgiix "5 and L6, enano iurther descrptionfhmof is thought to be necessaryother than-tc point out that where, as in the .arrangement yshown in Figure 4, there is no secondary :separaticmfmeans `tion means is shown at I2.

shown,v in Figures` 5 and 6such secondari7 separa- It might; also be mentioned .therein some instances it is des'mbie to `provide .gathering orcollecting boxes t3 where a single or several very lalgosteam outlet pipe y or pipes il" are provided, `instead cfa multiplicity V4of smaller tubes. In such:V arrangements theV boxes I3 extend longitudinally `of the drum,

Vand communication between lsameand the space D is providedby a plurality vof openings I4.

I claimz" Y Y 1..A In combination in a steam andwater 'drum having a plurality of inlet tubesrat least certain of which -deliver a. mixture of steam and water into the drumabove the normal water level thereof, and having steam outlet means, a plurality of hoods located well above the normal water level and arranged side by side but in spaced relation with channels therebetween, and partition mem' bers cooperating withV the hoods and the water in the drum to divide theinterior of the drum above the `water into three` spaces, l. e., aspace into which steam and water mixture is delivered by at least some of the inlet tubes, a steam separating space, and a spacein communication with v the outlet means, the said last three spaces being non-communicating save that the channels between the hoods afford communication between the said space `into vwhich mixture is delivered and the steamseparating space and the hoods afford communicationbetween the steam separating space and 1,thefsaid .third .space which is.. y

in communication with theroutletmeans.

2. VIn combination in a steam? and water drum f having a plurality of inlet tubes, at least certain.: l

of 'which deliver a mixture of steam and .waterEV into the drum above the normal waterleveltl'lere-V of, and having steam outlet means, a plurality of hoods located well above the'ncrmal water level.A and arranged side by side but in spaced relation with channels therebetween, and partition mem;- bers cooperatingrlwith the'hoods and the .water in the drum Ito .dvidethefinte'rior of the drum above the water into three spaces, 1i.`fe, .aspacef into-which steam andrwate'rmixture is delivered by 'atleast some of the inlettubes, a steam sep-- arating space, and. a space Yin communication. with the outlet means. the'said last three spaces.

being non-communicating save that `the channels between the' hoods aord communication between the said space into which mixture isdeliveredand.

the steam separating space and the'hoods aiford communication between .the steam separatingA spaceand thesaidlthird spacewhich is in Vcom-` munication with the-outlet means, 'the channels between hoods being substantially'upright where by the steam and water' mixture is .discharged into the separation `space substantially vertically downward;

tween 4thehoods afford communicationbetween 5l Inl combination: in asteamvand water drum having a. pluralityfof inlet tubes, at least certain. of which deliver a mixtureofv steam and `Awater. into the drum above thenormal water levelthere-fE of, and having steam 'outlet meansQa longitudi-z nally extending group of. alternating hoods and channels, ,thel hoods `being open 'atfone endand closed at the other and the channels being open at-each end; three longitudinallyY extending par-y j titions and! two,l end plates, cooperatingv with one another and with the hoodsto'divide the interior o f the drumabove the normalwater level therein into three'spaces, Le., aspaceintowhichsteam and water mixture enters,a separating space, and aV space `communicating with the'joutlet means,` said spaces being non-communicating saverthat. said channelsalord communication between thel said first spaceand the-separating space',` and said hoods aiord vcommunication 'between vthe j3. In combination'in asteam andwater'drum having a plurality of inlet tubes, atleast certain Vof which deliver a mixture of steam and water into the drum above the normal water level thereof, and having steam outlet means, a plurality of hoods located well above the normal water level and arranged side by side but in spaced relation with channels therebetween, and partition members cooperating with the hoods and the water in the drum to divide the interior of the drum above the water into three spaces, i. e., a space into which steam and water mixture is delivered by at least some of the inlet tubes,

a steam separating space, and a space in communication with the outlet means, the said last three` spaces being non-communicating `save that the channels between the hoods aord communication between the said space into which mixture y is delivered and the steam separating space and Ythe hoods aord communication between the steam separating space and the said third space which isxin communication with the outlet means, the channels between hoods being substantially upright whereby the steam and water mixtureA is discharged into the separation space Vsubstantially vertically downward, and the hoods being so spaced from one another and from the water in the drum that the downwardly directed sheets discharged by the channels merge into a continuous sheet, horizontally, at a plane above the normal water level.

4. In combination in a steam and water drum having a plurality of inlet tubes, at least certain of which deliver a mixture of steam and water into the drum above the normal water level thereof, and having steam outlet means, a plurality of hoods located well above the normal water level and arranged side by side but in spaced relation with channels therebetween, and partition members cooperating with the hoods and the water in the drum to divide the interior of the drum above the water into three spaces, i; e., a space into which steam and water mixture is delivered by separating space and the space incommunication with the outlet means...` f f 6. .In combination in aste'am andwater drum;

having'a-plurality of inlet ltubes, at least vcertain of which vdeliver a mixture offsteam and 'water' intorthe drum above the normal water level thereof, and having steam outletmeans, .a lon- A, Y gitudinally extending group of alternating hoods; and channels,.the hoods being .open at oneend and closed at the .other and thechannels being open at each end ;three longitudinally extending partitions and two end plates, cooperating with one another and with thevhoods to divide Athe inl terior of the drum above the normalwater level therein into three spaces, i. e., a space into vwhich steam and water mixture enters, a Vseparating space, and a space communicating with the outat least some of the inlet tubes, a steam .separating space, and a space in communication with the outlet means, the said last three spaces being let'means, said spaces being non-communicating save that said channels aord communication between the said rst, space and the separating space, and said hoods afford communicationbetween the separatingspace and the spacein communication withl thev outlet means,and a vfourth longitudinally extending partitionY in the space last mentioned adapted to Ycause the steam iiowing therethrough to change its direction .or

7. In combinationin a steam and water drum having a plurality of inlet tubes, at least certain gitudinally extending group of alternating hoods and channels, the hoods being open atene end' .and closedat the other and the channels being 1 open at each end; three longitudinally extendingpartitions and two end plates, cooperating with one another and with the hoods to divide the interior Aoi the drum above the normal water level therein into three spaces, i. e., a space into which steam and water mixture enter's, a'sepa. rating space, and a space communicating with the outlet means, lsaid spaces being non-communicating save that said channels aiTorcl communication between the said first space and the y separating space, and said hoods 'aiordcom--r munication between the separating space andthe space in communicationwith the'outlet means; a iourth :longitndimrly extending .par-

in the? space mentionedn'd'aptedi to.A

causethe :steam z-ilosvfnfrg mhereth-mugh :to change itsldirection of ;ilow,far1daafdrier associated .with

n said .last mentionedpartition in advance vof 'the outlet means i8. In v 'a steam` and :water fdruin,v having "steam and iwater :mixture iin'let meansf'and steamfoutlet means; thevcombinationfof a v'longitiid-in'al-ly extending group of alternating hoods fand channelsj amd. partitions cooperating therewith to divide,

the anterior of the `drnmabove thsnormal Water levelsnto three spacesfi.V e., space into which steam and water mixture enters, a separating spacegand 'aspace .communicatingwiththe voutlet i means', said spaces being non-cemmunicating,

save Athat 'said channels Iaiord communication between Athey rst and second spaces, and 'said hoods afford communication between the secand aniithirdspaces. 1 f Y Q "In va :steam andwater drum, having steam and Water mixture inletrmea-ns and steam 'outlet means, the combination of 'a' longitudinally. ex- Y ten-dingxgroup of alternating hoods yand channels,

and partitions 'cooperating Atherewith to divide the interior ofthe drum :abovethe normal Water level intoth-reewspacesfi. e., a space in'to which steam .and water;mixture`enters, la separating.

space, and a space communicating with the outlet means, said spaces being non-communicatingsave that sai'dchann'els aiord communie.

Vof 110W through the channels -I that through fthe hoods.

. maar cation betweenfthe viirst and. second spaces, and n said hoodsaiord communication-lcretweenl they secondjand thirduspaces, wherebyr lsteamfand Water mixture is discharged from said rst space intothe second space in the form ofjsheets, the

channels being so located above thenormal wa` ter level that the said sheets merge into a single sheet above` the normal water level., i 10. In a' steam andgwater drum, Vhaving steam and `water'mixture inlet means and steam outlet means', the conibinationofa longitudinally` ex4 tending group of: alternating` hoods and channels.'v

and partitions cooperatingrtherewith to `divide the interioriof the'drum above the normal'water level intothree spaces, i: e.,`a space .into which steam and water-mixture enters, a separating space,'and a space communicating with-V the outlet "means, said spacesrbeing non-communicating save that said channels afford communication vbetween therst `and second spaces, and said hooclsaffordcommunication between the second andv third spaces, whereby steam .and water mixture is discharged lfrom said first space intothe VFemininu B. PLACE.' 

